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Boating: Sea Change

Danielle Cutler

OCTOBER 01, 2011

The Pershing brand has been synonymous with high-performance sport yachts for more than 25 years. But with its 2011 model line, the Italian builder—a subsidiary of the yachting conglomerate Ferretti Group—is looking beyond its fast-and-furious past to a more refined future. The brand’s new semicustom flagship model, the Pershing 108, marks this shift toward efficiency and finesse while remaining true to its powerful predecessors.

Launched early this year, the Pershing 108 features the builder’s first configuration with three propeller engines, a design that allows for greater efficiency and comfort without sacrificing speed. When cruising at 36 knots under power of all three engines, the 108-foot yacht sips a relatively paltry 350 gallons of fuel per hour. The boat can also cruise smoothly and quietly on a single engine at 10 knots for as many as 1,000 miles.

During initial sea trials—undertaken with all decor in place, including flower-filled vases and a fully set dining table—the Pershing 108 achieved a top speed of 43 knots while remaining stable enough that none of the unsecured adornments fell to the floor. "This is very impressive for a yacht of this size, power, and speed," says Justin Blue, Pershing’s U.S. product manager. "[The Pershing 108] has the true feeling of a much larger yacht but with the ability to perform like a high-speed day boat."

The standard configuration for the Pershing 108 comprises three guest staterooms plus a full-beam master suite and three crew cabins. The owner of hull No. 1 in the line opted to forgo one of the guest cabins in favor of a family room. The inaugural vessel also includes a custom galley from Italian kitchen company Ernestomeda and interior fixtures, furnishings, and finishes from Poltrona Frau, Fendi Casa, and Armani Casa.

Every Pershing 108 will include such features as wide lateral windows that provide abundant natural light to the salon and dining area, as well as multiple outdoor spaces. An intimate seating and sunning area on the foredeck complements the large top deck, which incorporates sleek transformable seating arrangements and a supplemental helm station. Below, on the aft deck, a retractable glass wall separates the area from the main salon and fully disappears for a seamless flow between the stern’s indoor and outdoor spaces.

Off the stern of the Pershing 108, a large beach deck provides easy access to the water. An aft garage houses the yacht’s standard 16-foot tender, a sporty supplement to Pershing’s refined flagship.